Welcome to Smart Montgomery

The town of Montgomery, Alabama recently held a press conference to reveal its Smart City Living Lab. The event was covered by WSFA-TV, and was sponsored by the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce and the Alabama Power Company. The alliance of these two agencies represents a, “public-private partnership focused on advancing smart city initiatives in the City of Montgomery.”

Living Lab initiatives include plans to provide free public WiFi in downtown areas, better lighting, and smart parking. Alabama Power has already broken ground for the pipes that will carry fiber optic cables. “This is a huge investment from the Alabama Power Company,” said Montgomery Mayor Strange. “The payback, though, is tremendous. The cost for them is a fraction of what it is today in regular lighting, so the payback for them will come over time. For the city, we will reap about a $500,000 financial benefit over five years.”

In addition to the wireless connectivity and lighting improvements, the Living Lab will also link into a series of cameras. The goal of all the improvements is the safety of the downtown visitors. With 22,000 new LED lights, free WiFi, and a smart parking app, Montgomery aims to provide features that will both please residents and attract visitors to the city.

“At the end of the day, you’re going to have smart parking and smart lighting,” Mayor Strange told WSFA-TV. “You’re going to have cameras that are smart. That can be helpful with public safety. You’re going to be able to raise lights or lower lights. It’s going to be a better quality of living here.” Comments?Email Us.